UnitedHealthcare is first health care company to partner with the AGA Digestive Health Outcomes Registry® to help advance high-quality, cost-effective medical best practices

Technology platform from MedAssurant, Inc., to gather and analyze data

4/16/2012MINNETONKA, Minn. —

UnitedHealthcare and the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) today announced a collaboration designed to improve patient care and outcomes in digestive disorders.

Through this collaboration, UnitedHealthcare will incorporate gastroenterologist (GI) physician data from the AGA Digestive Health Outcomes Registry® into its physician performance measurement programs that compare individual treatment practices with national treatment standards created by gastroenterologists. Data from the registry will support UnitedHealthcare’s expanding portfolio of physician incentive programs that reward medical groups and physicians who demonstrate high-quality, cost-effective care.

Information obtained from this analysis will help UnitedHealthcare and the AGA promote best practices related to the care of patients with digestive disorders. The registry is certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), enabling practices to submit data on Medicare beneficiaries with hepatitis C to the CMS Physician Quality Reporting System.

UnitedHealthcare is the first health care company to partner with the AGA Digestive Health Outcomes Registry to help advance high-quality, cost-effective medical best practices

“We support UnitedHealthcare’s leadership in promoting quality care and are pleased to partner with them to improve the quality of care that gastroenterologists provide patients,” said John I. Allen, M.D., MBA, AGAF, vice president-elect of the AGA Institute and chair of the AGA Registry Executive Management Board. “The AGA Registry is derived from evidence-based clinical guidelines and outcomes measures developed by GI clinicians. It is a powerful tool for gastroenterologists who want to benchmark their practices, proactively manage patient care and ensure the appropriate use of resources.”

The AGA Registry has been operational for two years and remains open to new physician members. GI physicians in UnitedHealthcare’s care provider network will be able to submit information upon enrollment in the registry.

The AGA Registry contains data from MedAssurant’s Medical Outcomes for Research on Economics and Effectiveness Registry® (MORE2 Registry®), which includes submissions from practicing gastroenterologists nationwide. MedAssurant’s registry division is primarily responsible for the technology platform, collection of information from practicing gastroenterologists, associated analytics, and reporting capabilities to UnitedHealthcare.

“The AGA’s national membership of gastroenterologists, together with the combination of our broad national network of 650,000 physicians and other care providers, and our focus on communicating the value of information tied to consumer and physician engagement and incentive programs, enables our organizations to advance safe, timely and effective patient care to improve outcomes,” said Sam Ho, M.D., chief clinical officer of UnitedHealthcare. “UnitedHealthcare is committed to working with the AGA and other leading medical organizations to promote the best care possible for patients.”

UnitedHealthcare’s collaboration with AGA is another example of the company’s commitment to help gastroenterologists improve performance and patient care. In 2010, UnitedHealthcare received the Richard L. Doyle Award for Innovation and Leadership in Health Care from Milliman Care Guidelines for working with physicians and other health professionals to identify and employ best practices to prevent complications from major bowel surgery.

About the American Gastroenterological Association The American Gastroenterological (GI) Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, the American Gastroenterological Association has grown to include 17,000 members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research and educational programs of the organization. Learn more at www.gastro.org.

About MedAssurant, Inc. MedAssurant, Inc. is a leading technology-enabled health care solutions provider focused on the importance of health care data and its ability to drive dramatic, objective improvement in clinical and quality outcomes, care management and financial performance throughout the health care community. Proprietary health care datasets, aggregation and analysis capabilities, combined with a national infrastructure of leading-edge technology, clinical prowess and deep human resources, empower MedAssurant’s advanced generation of health care assessment and improvement through highly informed solutions. Driven by a mission to improve today’s health care landscape, the employees of MedAssurant proudly apply care, ingenuity and dedication to delivering a new approach to health care touching nearly 120 million Americans – one driven by data and insight – one resulting in meaningful action. Please visit www.medassurant.com for more information.

About UnitedHealthcare UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 650,000 physicians and care professionals and 5,000 hospitals nationwide. UnitedHealthcare serves more than 38 million people and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.